Candidate for
Council Member; City of Indio

Guadalupe "Lupe" Ramos Watson, born Guadalupe Calvillo Ramos in Indio's Casita Hospital in 1962. Her family members are long-time Indio upholstery business owners. She is born and raised in the City of Indio and is the eldest of 7 siblings.

Her background and education include an associates in Liberal Arts from College of the Desert/Desert Communities College, real estate/development accounting, administrative management of civil engineering, landscape architectural firms and restaurant/micro-brewery, start-up business consultant, corporate executive, real estate investor and developer, homeowner's association board of trustees.

She is a mother, and businesswoman with over 20 years of experience in business management, accounting, financial operations and human resources. As a long-time resident and homeowner, she is a strong advocate of open government, conducting the city's business in full public view, better planning to increase accountability to taxpayers and services to protect public safety, neighborhoods, and quality of life. She is supported by elected officials and hundreds of citizens because of her leadership and Higher Standards on the Indio City Council.

A background in real estate developments with Landmark Land Company, Sunrise Company/HSA Design Group and her civil engineering firm, is the catalyst for the belief that she is well-prepared to offer her contribution to the City of Indio in orchestrating it's future growth efforts and management of the revitalization projects. There is a need for balance between the high-end resident demands and availability of moderate-to-low affordable community resources to our diverse community.

Lupe is pro-business development, smart growth. She offers a creative, fresh approach and is ope-minded to new ideas for the operation, development, and revitalization of our fair City. Her personal characteristics are decisive, cohesive, coordinated and methodical in approach, which enable her to traverse well-planned avenues. Lupe is for business development that pays for itself and promotes smart growth. Lupe worked to finish street improvements, build needed parks and youth sports fields, a teen center, a senior center and stop city project cost overruns.

Toghether with the City of Indio residents we have made this City "the place to be"!

Born and raised in Indio, Lupe Ramos Watson was elected to the City Council in 2004, and has served as Mayor in 2008 and 2011.

Her duties on the City Council have kept Lupe Ramos Watson busy since her election. She serves/served on the:

Indio Water Authority Indio/Coachella Joint Transfer Station JPA Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Executive Board of Directors Coachella Valley Association of Governments Executive Board Coachella Valley Association of Governments Valley Wide Homelessness Committee + Chair Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority JPA Executive Board Riverside County Fair Advisory Board + Past Chair Riverside County Library Services Zone Advisory Board Southern California Association of Governments Regional Council Imperial Irrigation Energy Consumers Board + Past Chair Coachella Valley Water District Water Policy Board Riverside County Children and Families Commission Coachella Valley Housing Trust Indio Housing Authority Indio Finance Authority Desert Sands Unified School District 2×2 Joint Education Committee Coachella Valley Unified School District 2×2 Joint Education Committee As someone committed to serving her community, Lupe Ramos Watson also is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star (Coachella Valley Chapter #360), the Indio Chamber of Commerce, and the Coachella Valley Mexican American Chamber of Commerce.

Lupe Ramos Watson has deep roots in her community. Her parents were migrant farm workers working in the agricultural community. She attended Indio High School and eventually earned an Associate of Liberal Arts degree from the College of the Desert. She owned a small business based in Indio that specialized in engineering, commercial planning for local projects and a real estate investment firm.

Lupe Ramos Watson also maintains memberships in several business organizations, including The Ninety Nines, Inc. of California, the Professional Education Institute Student Advisory Council, the Building Industry Association of Southern California and the California Homeowners Association.

In her capacity as a small business owner, Lupe Ramos Watson managed the finances of her companies, and she put that experience to use in her city council duties, where she is a consistent advocate for balanced budgets and responsible spending.